Safran Co. is producing the film, which will be distributed next year by New Line Cinema. The movie's stars include Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard and Ward Horton.

"Annabelle" is among several low-budget features fueling a spike in location filming this year. Production days for feature films are up 22% so far this quarter compared with the same period last year, according to an L.A. Times analysis of permit data from FilmL.A.

Television activity is down 12%, while commercial production is off by 4% compared with the same period a year ago, according to the data, which track filming on city and county streets as well as non-certified sound stages.